CH 97

You did nothing wrong.

Translated by Dawn

You did nothing wrong.

{What do you mean you like it when I walk!? Why are you saying something that doesn’t make sense!? At times like that, you have to say you like your mother when she makes you lunch or when she reads you a story! Oh, my God, they must have thought we are a weird family! What do I have to look like next time I go to see your teacher!?}

“It was the first moment in my life that I was yelled at…….it was then that I thought to myself. Ah, I had done something wrong to my mother.”

—She’s the worst parent.

She didn’t even ask why she said that, she just pushed her own ideals without thinking straight and got hysterical when the child didn’t follow her script. And, moreover, it was out of the question to frighten a four-year-old child.

A mixture of anger at her parents and sympathy for Maria went through my head and chest.

There were so many unreasonable matters that I was wondering where to begin when Maria said something shocking.

“So in order to learn to be normal, I wrote down what my parents told me to do, acted accordingly, and still failed to live up to their expectations and still bring them shame.”

“…Don’t tell me, Maria…that all this time you’ve been acting the way your parents told you to act?”

“Yes. I’ve tried to act as normal as possible in the absence of my parents, seeking the input of others, but I’m just not very good at it.”

Maria was ashamed of herself as she looked down.

Her teasing appearance made me understand.

—I see. It was all because of those toxic parents.

When she was deceived by Ijuin, Maria was ashamed of herself that she had been deceived at the mercy of others.

But it was all because of her parents.

Her parents imposed their ideals on Maria from an early age.

As a result, Maria became a child who was trapped in the preconceived notion that she was a bad child, a child who unconditionally did what others told her to do.

She thought that her values were wrong, that her parents’ values were right, and that she could avoid bringing shame on them by following their instructions.

And yet, she still shamed her parents.

So, in order to learn to be normal, she even started to follow every single thing that others, not just her parents, told her to do.

That was the curse of a girl named Arima Maria.

Holding back the desire to yell at her mother right now, I held Maria’s hand in front of me.

“Maria. Do you like your parents?”

“…yes.”

“I see. Then, is it hard for you to be with your parents?”

“……”

Maria, at a loss for a response, her eyes shook, and then replied in an excuse-like tone.

“It’s hard. If I stay with them, I will bring shame to my parents.”

“Then, why don’t you stay here with us? You also like me, don’t you?”

For a moment, I didn’t miss the shy smile on Maria’s lips.

But her expression was soon painted with sadness.

“No. I don’t know what is normal for me unless I am with my parents. I’m sure that I will make many mistakes and dishonor my parents when I’m out of their sight.”

“I see. But Maria, I have never been conscious of your parents when I was with you.”

“Eh?”

“Remember what I said when we caught Ijuin?”

Digging up the memory of that time, I spoke to her, not getting a single word wrong.

“Maria belongs to no one, Maria belongs to Maria alone. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, and you don’t have to be at the mercy of others. I think it’s admirable that you want to meet other people’s expectations, but you don’t have to do anything you don’t really want to do; Maria can live her life the way Maria wants to.”

“Honey, san.”

As if overwhelmed with emotion, Maria spoke my name.

Her hand squeezed tightly and hard in mine.

“Of course, you don’t have to worry about your parents. Maria is not a role model or a convenient doll for her parents to play in their child-rearing games. She is a stranger named Arima Maria who has a separate personality independent of her parents.”

“….”

At my words, Maria closed her eyes tightly and then curled her back as if to cower.

She remained silent, keeping her eyes on the floor, but keeping her hands on me.

I could tell she must be fighting it.

With the common sense and outlook on life that she had built up in herself over the past 15 years.

This was common with children who had toxic parents.

They were abused, but they believed that they deserved it and that their parents were not to blame, and they tried to stay with their parents and continue to support them by doing their parents’ bidding.

The ultimate self-denial and dependence on others.

It took no small amount of courage to break free from this situation.

This was the only thing Maria had to answer for herself.

But still, even if she called me arrogant, I wanted to rescue her, so I put strength into my fingers holding her hand.

I wanted my feelings to be conveyed to Maria so that she would have the courage to take the first step forward.

But the words she finally squeezed out were not what I wanted.

“…Thank you. I was happy to be told I could live as I wanted. But it’s too late now.”

As soon as she looked up, large tears spilled from her eyes.

“I don’t have a will of my own anymore. When people ask me things, the first thing I do is wonder what they want me to say. When I finish something, I wait for instructions on what to do next. I am no longer…”

It was like being a cripple.

It wasn’t that she really wanted to do that, but she put up with it out of concern for those around her. She had no intention from the beginning.

But I knew that was a lie.

“That’s not true. Maria kept refusing Ijuin’s advances. Besides, she had Maya on her lap and played with her cheeks. Certainly, Maria may have lost most of her desires. However, it is not completely gone, and there is a line that cannot be compromised. From now on, let’s cherish them.”

I smiled by showing my teeth, and Maria’s eyes widened.

Then, with a crumpled face and a smile on her reddened cheeks, she let a large tear fall.

“Honey-san!”

With the force of a dive, Maria came to my chest and I hugged her.

She pressed her tear-stained face against my chest, calling my name over and over again, and she hugged me with a force that, I hate to say it, was as if she was tightening me up.

Maria’s sweetness, as if to make up for 15 years of loneliness, made me so happy.

I was able to save Maria. I had made her happy.

That sense of accomplishment accompanied by a strong feeling of realization filled my chest.

But it did not last even a minute, and Maria suddenly spoke.

“What should I do? But I am sure that my mother and father will not let me go. I’m sure they won’t allow me to live with you.”

“Uuh…”

I had not thought about that one yet.

There was no way that those parents would readily approve of Maria’s move.

—As long as the compulsory education has been completed, it should not be a problem from a legal standpoint.

Yes, just as I was having a hard time, an invincible smile broke in.

“It’s okay, Maria. After all, our Honey is the best Teleporter in the world, so let’s show them what Honey can do.”

Kiriha confidently said while placing her hand on Maria’s shoulder.

That made sense to me.

It was probably because it had only been four months since I had awakened to my psychic powers.

I often forget that I was a psychic.

Maria looked at me strangely and curiously.